National Council of Jewish Women of Canada

Founded in 1897, the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC) united a largely urban group of Jewish women dedicated to effecting meaningful social change at home and abroad. Its members provided indispensable support to new immigrants, refugees, mothers, young women, and children. They also created opportunities for their own education and engaged in advocacy. Through their involvement with the NCJWC, Jewish women gained a voice within Canadian society and the women’s movement, in particular. Dedicated to social justice and equality, this volunteer organization has forged an enduring legacy of community service.

During the late 19th century, rapid urbanization, industrialization, and immigration caused social disruption in Canadian cities. Women’s associations were at the forefront, leading charitable campaigns that sought to help. The oldest Jewish women’s organization in Canada, the NCJWC was founded in Toronto through the initiative of Meldola de Sola, the wife of a distinguished Montréal rabbi. She was the national vice president of the National Council of Jewish Women, which had been founded four years earlier in Chicago. In Toronto, she encouraged members of the Ladies Montefiore Benevolent Society to form their own section. Before long, women of the Holy Blossom Synagogue in Toronto began meeting in private homes to study Genesis and the teachings of Judaism in preparation for their philanthropic activities.

At the time of its founding in Toronto, the NCJWC engaged in philanthropy and education, with particular emphasis on supporting young girls and new immigrants, providing shelter, training, and other forms of assistance, while strengthening the Jewish community. Soon, there were sections across the country with mandates evolving to meet the changing needs of the most vulnerable in society. By 1967, the NCJWC had 6,000 members out of a total Jewish population of 250,000.

Throughout its history, the NCJWC has worked tirelessly to promote social justice, freedom, equality, and tolerance, while also engaging in charitable works and leading public health campaigns. It has often worked collaboratively with aid organizations, such as the Red Cross, in supporting humanitarian efforts in Canada and abroad. The NCJWC continues this work today, to the benefit of the Jewish community and Canadian society, generally. Its head office is in Winnipeg and there are regional offices across the country. 

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